'Means absolutely nothing': LeBron dismisses Barkley criticism

LeBron James has been in the league for over a decade, so he knows not to sweat anything Charles Barkley says.

After James clamored for reinforcements in Cleveland, Barkley said the King came off "whiny" and urged him to hold his head high as the defending champion. Barkley even went so far as to ask, rhetorically, if James wanted to compete.

That specific dig caught at James, who answered to reporters after Saturday's win over the Brooklyn Nets.

“He has to do that,” James said, as relayed by ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "I mean, it’s good for the ratings. That makes no sense in the world. Ever since I picked up a basketball at age nine I’ve competed every single time, so you can never question that about me.

"But that’s Charles. He’s the guy who has to sit on a panel and says stuff like that, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. That means absolutely nothing. I wasn’t even watching last night."